NHTSA Complaint #10608650 — 2006 CHRYSLER 300C

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. I STOPPED AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE BEFORE I WENT HOME, SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF, WENT IN, AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TRYING TO TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T. EVENTUALLY I GOT IT STARTED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND REVVED THE ENGINE A LITTLE TO KEEP IT FROM SHUTTING BACK OFF, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE ROCKS WERE INSIDE THE ENGINE, THEN TURNED OFF AFTER MAYBE 3-4 SECONDS OF RUNNING. GOT IT TOWED TO A LOCAL CHAIN GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THEY GOT IT RUNNING FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WERE ROCKS INSIDE OF IT AND THAT ITS PROBABLY A BROKEN ROD, AND THAT COULD HAVE DAMAGED MUCH MORE INSIDE. NOW I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THIS CAR. THE REPAIRS MIGHT END UP COSTING THE VALUE OF THE CAR, BUT SELLING IT WITHOUT AN ENGINE IS BASICALLY WORTHLESS. I HAVE NO BACKUP CAR TO DRIVE IN THE MEAN TIME, OR MONEY/CREDIT TO BUY A NEW ONE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TO A WELL MAINTAINED CAR WITH UNDER 100K MILES ON IT, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. THE COMPANY SHOULD AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS AN ISSUE. UPDATED 2/12/2015*JS